The Day the Music Was Turned Down (But Not Really)

05/04/2011 | 2 Comments

Apparently last night’s CB1 Parks Committee was a bit of a doozy (Aaron Short went so I didn’t have to!). In an advisory vote, the committee recommended that the number of concerts be cut by a third and that attendance at each concert be cut by about 25% (from 6,500 to 5,000 people). Since the Open Space Alliance has already booked 15 shows for the summer, and since the concerts are held on State park land (which the local CB1 has no jurisdiction over), this vote won’t change anything. It may be a symbolic gesture, but it’s pretty clear that some people are not too happy with the concerts or with OSA.

For Williamsburg Renters, Look But Don’t Swim

Renters in the affordable housing components of the Edge and Northside Piers pay rents well below market rates (some as low as $398 per month, according to the Times). But they don’t have access to the amenities on the luxury side of the development.

More on Hope

04/29/2011 | Comment

Rami Metal, Councilman Steve Levin’s Williamsburg & Greenpoint rep, posted the following to the CB1 Info mailing list:

Some of you may already be aware of this but for those who are not I am deeply saddened to say that Hope Reichbach, our communications director, died yesterday. We are unbelievably shaken and saddened by her sudden passing and are putting all our energy right now into working through this difficult time and helping her family in any way we can. The funeral is being held on Sunday at noon and the full details are below.

Needless to say we feel that we need to cancel the planned 2:30pm rally against the proposed homeless shelter at 400 McGuinness Blvd. We do not yet have a new date for the rally but will work to figure something out in the next week or so. Obviously this is very last minute and we are doing what we can to let people know about the cancellation but if folks can let their friends or neighbors know that would be helpful.

As for the funeral arrangements, the services will take place at Congregation Mount Sinai, 250 Cadman Plaza West, at noon on Sunday. All are welcome.

The Reichbach family will sit shiva Sunday following the service, Monday and Tuesday all day at 148 Bond Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217.

Donations in Hope’s name can be made to: Nicholas Naquan Heyward Jr. Memorial Foundation, Inc., 413 Baltic Street, Suite 1A, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Below is a joint statement from last night from Steve and the Speaker:

Joint Statement by Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Council Member Stephen Levin

This evening we learned of the tragic death of one of the Council’s family. A bright young woman who was at the start of a career in public service is gone too soon. Hope was a wonderful, vivacious, and tough young woman. A beautiful soul who cared deeply about her community and her family. We are deeply saddened by her passing and will miss her more than words can ever describe. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and her friends, and everyone affected by this loss. We also respectfully request that the media respect the family’s privacy at this most difficult time.



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Hope Reichbach

04/29/2011 | Comment

This is sad beyond words. Hope Reichbach was found dead in her Boerum Hill apartment yesterday afternoon. She was a wonderful young woman and a positive force in her community and mine.

Gatemouth and FiPS have some very nice remembrances, as do the commenters at this Brooklyn Paper article.

My condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.



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Rough Homecoming for a Washington Lawmaker

It’s nice to see some town hall chickens coming home to roost for our friends on the right.

Former President George W. Bush was one of the evening’s frequent scapegoats, prompting [Congressman Michael] Grimm, at one point, to say: “This year’s deficit is due to George Bush? That’s insanity! That’s insane.”

Yes, it is insane. True, but insane:

cbpp-deficit-chart.jpg

Source: cbpp.org


A Better Look at Triangle Court

04/22/2011 | Comment

2011_4_trianglecourt1.jpg

Triangle Court (proposed)
Architect: KOH Architecture
Photo: KOH Architecture via Curbed


Yesterday, Curbed posted a better image of Triangle Court. Here it is in all it’s glory.

The building will occupy the former gas station site on the western half of the triangle formed by Grand, Keap and Borinquen. The future of the rest of the triangle (under separate ownership) is not known.

City Sues Gutman Over Street-Blocking Fence

The City is suing Joshua Gutman, owner of the former Greenpoint Terminal Market site, over the construction of fences blocking city streets that are supposed to provide access to the waterfront.

the site’s owner, Joshua Guttman, […] built two fences in 2009, even though he knew they were on a public street, ignoring the city’s repeated requests to remove them… [Councilman Steve] Levin had asked Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan to have workers tear the fence down — but the city chose to fight in court in order to keep the street open in perpetuity.

This is the same part of the same property that has multiple unresolved fines and violations over the owner’s failure to maintain the bulkheads along the waterfront. And part of the same property that partially burned down in a massive fire in April, 2006. And part of the same property that caused the closing of American Playground on Noble Street earlier this year when parts of a building started falling onto the playground.

Clearly we are dealing with a very civic-minded ownership here.

First Look at Triangle Court

04/20/2011 | Comment

TriangleCourt.jpg

Triangle Court, proposed design
Architect: KOH Architecture
Photo: nycmayorsoffice


Via Azi Paybarah, I came across this photo on the Mayor’s flickr stream (and also learned that the Mayor had a flickr stream).

Azi (and others) seem to be interested in the political ramifications of the photo (that’s Vito Lopez’s head cropped out at the top corner), but I was more interested in the design for the proposed building proposed for the former gas station site at Keap, Grand and Borinquen. The new building is designed by KOH Architecture of Little Neck/Flushing. Unfortunately, it will do nothing to raise the bar for design in the Union Avenue triangle (if anything, it lowers the bar quite a few notches).

For Whom The Bells Toll

04/19/2011 | Comment

They toll for no one, actually.

As NY Shitty reports, the bells at St. Anthony of Padua on Manhattan Avenue have been silent for some weeks now. According to the church, the mechanism to operate the bells is in need of repairs, to the tune of $10,000 to $25,000. To fund the repairs, they are devoting the proceeds of their annual raffle. For details on the raffle, and any other efforts to raise money for this, stay tuned to Ms. Heather.